


Hope

by LexiRob97



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:35:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28385622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LexiRob97/pseuds/LexiRob97
Summary: Updated to the present day, what if President Bartlett and his team had a pandemic to deal with?
Relationships: Josh Lyman/Donna Moss
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	Hope

“Mr President,” said Leo walking into the Oval Office, “We have reports of a large crowd of people in Alabama burning down mobile phone masts. At least two confirmed casualties and the fires are spreading out of control. The Governor has issued a statement saying he stands shoulder to shoulder with those spreading the message of freedom.”  
The President sighed. “It’s gonna be one of those days isn’t it?”  
“It’s one of those years” replied Leo.  
“Ok get me a report on my desk in half an hour.”  
“Thank you, Mr President.”  
...

“Donna” yelled Josh.  
“I’m sitting at the same table as you.”  
He had the grace to look a little downcast.  
“How does Sam manage to look so... shiny?”  
“Shiny?”  
“Yeah you know” he replied swivelling his laptop towards her with a screenshot of their last Zoom meeting. “The President is in the Oval. CJ looks like CJ in her kitchen.”  
“Toby seems to be in a dungeon”, grinned Donna.  
“Yeah” agreed Josh, “I don’t think he ever turns the lights on. But look Sam - he is shiny.”  
Donna smiled, “Do ya want me to light you up?”  
Josh looked up and grinned, dimples appearing on his face, holding her gaze.  
“You can light me up any time ya want but first I need you to look through these budget projections, proof read this and fix meetings with Jenkins and Malthouse, move Toby to 2pm, send me a summary of the meeting with the UN ambassador and work out what I wrote on that notepad.”  
...

“Mr President,” said Leo walking into the Oval.  
“Have you read this?” demanded the President.  
“The Pastor, yeah,” said Leo.  
“A plague Leo, of all the god damn things not to believe in. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven _plagues_ of the seven angels were completed. A plague...”  
“We’ll have CJ address it again in the briefing” said Leo.  
“Godamnit Leo, we were doing ok weren’t we? Low inflation, a boyant job market, I brought American troops home, we did that deal on climate emissions... and they sent me a plague. A plague that for some reason,” he put his glasses on to read from a briefing, “A plague that 18% of Americans don’t believe in, 26% think I’m exaggerating, rising to 67% of those who describe themselves as evangelical Christians.”  
....

CJ stepped up to the podium. It was too quiet. She missed the frantic shouts, the to and fro, replaced by a clinical screen in front of her of muted journalists. She began with the now familiar routine. “I am sorry to announce that in the last 24 hours another 534 Americans have lost their lives. The President’s thoughts and prayers are with their families. We will now pause for a moment.”

The familiar faces flickered in front of her.  
“Mark”, said C.J. The journalist unmuted himself saying “Governor Richardson calls those who set fire to the phone masts ‘true patriots, and says they are ‘stopping the virus from spreading’ Does the President agree?” Sometimes CJ wondered if the disconnect between fantasy and reality was getting wider as she replied: “The virus is an airborne disease which is spread between people. There are ways of minimising the spread such as wearing a mask...”  
...

The President looked at the map of the country on the wall in the Situation Room.  
“I think I preferred it when you had to give me geography lessons” he said with a hint of melancholy to Leo. “Who would’ve thought I’d be nostalgic for a couple of hostages shot down in the Middle East?” He cast his mind back, he could hardly believe it was less than 12 months ago when they’d strained every sinew to save two young American pilots. They’d called everyone involved in the operation American heroes and he hadn’t had to make those phone calls he dreaded. The days when only two lives would have been on his conscience.  
...

CJ continued. “Danny, the President urges everyone to follow the public health advice. Please wear a mask when outside the house. It protects you and your loved ones. As you know he has offered full support to governors who issue stay home guidance. And for the specific question on lateral flow tests I’ll refer you to Mr Gondolez”  
...

The “We ❤️ Gorgonzola” what’s app group pinged. Sam grinned at the latest meme of the bespectacled Italian. It was mainly assistants in the group but Donna had added him. They really needed to change the name. Mr Gondolez was a distinguished scientist. One they really should have treated with a bit more respect before this thing had arrived and destroyed everything. It had been Josh who’d remembered and Donna who knew where to find him. Sam and Josh had rushed to Leo’s office explaining they knew a guy who knew about things like this. As they’d begun earnestly explaining, Leo stopped them asking “How’d you meet him?” and Josh had replied “He was one of my block of cheese appointments”. As they’d returned Josh had bellowed “Donna - I need the cheese man, beginning with G!” Toby had muttered Gorgonzola, and the name had stuck.  
...

“Open wider” said Abbey.  
“I” began the President  
“And shut up. You are the most tested man on the planet. Millions of people would be delighted to get a test.”  
He wisely remained silent. At least Zoe was there. He knew she missed college but one of the few silver linings had been the online teaching which meant he knew she was safe in his White House. And Leo had called an in person senior staff for tomorrow which he was looking forward to. Zoom just wasn’t the same.  
....

“Donna” Josh shouted.  
“I might turn the volume down,” she replied.  
On the days Josh went into the office he’d initiated a system where they kept a Zoom meeting running on their iPads. Even now he had no idea where things were in his office and he found her digital presence reassuring. “Where’s the Peterson amendment folder?” “Bottom draw filing cabinet on your left” she replied. “And you have Senior Staff in 5 minutes.”  
“On my way!” He peered over at the iPad and waved goodbye at her.  
“Don’t I get a wave too?” he asked.  
“Josh you’re going to the Oval Office not an expedition to Antarctica”.  
“Humph” he said  
“4 minutes now” she replied.  
She clicked the digital wave button.  
He grinned and waved again (non-digitally) and left.  
...

They’d spaced out the chairs in the Oval Office. They discussed the riots, the job losses, the hospitalisations and another address to the nation. Sam and Toby said that it had to be about hope. The president was edgy. He wanted numbers. But not the ones they had. Not Toby’s take on the 1.3 million more Americans who had filed for unemployment. Not Josh’s report that they were 19 votes down for a stimulus package or Leo’s new tally of 1236 deaths.

“Anything positive for a briefing” asked CJ?  
Silence.  
“Is there any part of the economy doing ok?” asked the President.  
“Guns” said Toby looking at his shoes.  
“Yeah” said Josh “sales up 66 million, I think maybe they wanna shoot at the virus?”  
The President thumped the desk. “Guns”. “Thank you all”  
“Thank you Mr President” they said as he stormed out of his office and they moved into Leo’s.  
“Tom I am in need of... “ The security guard wordlessly handed the President a cigarette.  
....

In Leo’s office, they looked at each other, “hope” said Toby “it does need to be about hope”. Leo nodded. “Go do your thing.” And they trooped out.  
.....

“Jed” said Abbey, removing the cigarette from his hand.  
“They want me to talk about hope”, he spit out, “hope”.  
“Well I sure hope that is the only cigarette you scrounged today” she glared at him.  
“Hope. Abbey. Hope. I’ve gotta talk about hope, when the economy is screwed, my spending plans ripped up, no one cares about the climate treaty anymore and I’ve gotta go in the Oval and talk about hope.”  
“Geez Jed. what a tough job ya have” she glowered. “You wanna wait while I fetch a tiny violin?”  
“Abigail Bartlett, they want me to talk about hope” he spat out again.  
“Dr Abigail Bartlett” she shot back. “And my profession doesn’t give you hope? And the nurses and the careers? And Ellie doesn’t give you hope and all the scientists in her department working on cures and vaccines? And the charities ...”  
The President moved in to kiss her.  
“You must be joking” she said, “I do not kiss ashtrays...” but she smiled at him.  
“I’ll be back later” he said, and turned back into the Oval.  
“Leo”, he called. “The hope’s about people” he said, “doctors, vaccines, helping one another”  
“Yes Mr President” he said “I know”.  
...

Donna was popping to the shops. As she announced this to the screen in front of her Josh immediately picked up his tablet.  
“You got a mask?” asked Josh.  
“Yes Josh” said Donna.  
“And you’ll stay...”  
“6 feet apart, and I’ll pay contactless and come straight home and wash my hands”, she reeled off.  
“Donna”, he said, wincing, “it is important, it’s dangerous and...” he stopped, his eyes filled with fear, “you need to stay safe .”  
“I’ll wear a mask” she said softly.  
Josh worried, he worried too much, she knew.  
....

Leo seemed to have talked the Governor down. Well bribed him really but at least the TV footage was better. Josh was twisting arms, and anything else he could think of, he was only 3 votes down now. Sam and Toby were writing and the President was rewriting.  
....

Donna’s phone buzzed. “Home @ 7.30”.  
She smiled and put down the briefing she had been sticking post-it notes to. It wasn’t that Josh ever said anything special in what’s app messages but she liked the quiet domestic routine they’d slipped into. She’d stayed over before after Rosslyn and when the stay home orders had started she’d dreaded staying alone in her flat, without anyone to speak to, but really without Josh. As she’d dropped off files at his apartment he’d invited her in and they’d slipped back into the routine they used to have and that evening she’d blurted out “could I stay” he’d looked up and said “it’d be easier wouldn’t it?”  
Leo had hit the roof. “Have you two not heard of Metoo?”  
Josh’s phone buzzed. “No 🍕 tonight! Cooking but may need ice cream.”  
He smiled.

...

  
It was chilly. He took off his coat and scarf, handed Donna a tub of the Ben and Jerry’s she liked best with the chocolate fish and eyed her suspiciously.  
“Have I moved apartment?”  
“I just re-arranged a bit” she said innocently.  
“A bit being the tables, chairs, bookcases, sofa, lamp, my Mets print. And built a tower from my law text books?” he said gesturing wildly.  
“And bought me a _halo_??? What is that?”  
“I read about them online. It’s what all the v-loggers use.”  
“Look” she said steering him to an office chair he didn’t recognise where an iPad hung suspended and turned on the new ring light.  
“You’re Sam-like shiny now” she grinned.  
...

Dinner had been good. “We missed the President” said Josh. “Can we get him on catch up?”, Donna tapped on her iPad. They were sat on the sofa, Josh with his arm slung across its back, Donna next to him. She moved closer to Josh so they could both see the screen.  
...

“My fellow Americans. We live in a Winter of fear. Another 1236 Americans have lost their lives today. Spirits stubbed out too early, leaving our hearts frozen with the pain. May God watch over them and their families.

And in this Winter of fear, those who strode now trudge, while factories lay idle and shops are shuttered, as an icy wind blows our lives off course.

I know what I ask of you is hard. I ask you to forgo the pursuit of happiness. I ask you to stay home, to wear a mask. I ask for sacrifice and solidarity. I say life must come before liberty.

I ask you to stay 6 feet apart. Not to visit your mother, for your child not to hug their grandfather. I know what I ask of you is hard. Because in a Winter of fear, we want to reach out, to gather the ones we love close in our embrace, to offer comfort and warmth.”

Unthinkingly Josh moved his arm around Donna and she lent in.

“The science is clear. The very best doctors, the scientists, the epidemiologists... “  
——-

CJ had read along with the autocue.

“Franklin Roosevelt once said: “We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.

Hope.”

Sam had watched it back at his apartment mouthing the words he’d written, wondering about any ad libs the President might include.

“Hope.

That is what I ask of you.  
To find hope in the cold and the dark.

Because I see hope in the doctors and nurses who care.  
I see hope when the mailman delivers an envelope full of pictures a child has drawn.  
I see hope when a neighbour leaves a meal in another neighbour’s porch.  
I see hope in the teachers, the shop workers, the military who change the way they work.

I see hope when state works with state.  
Because the virus doesn’t know where New York ends and Pennslyviannia begins  
I see hope when the PPE needed in Arizona is flown in from Texas.

I see hope in the scientist searching for a vaccine. We are a nation that sent men to the moon and through that power of ingenuity and exploration I see hope.

I see hope in the man who places a phone call as consoler of the lonely.  
I see hope when you wear a mask.  
I see hope when you forgo a Birthday celebration and I see hope when the mourners can only offer silent prayers from afar.  
I see hope in you.”  
....

Leo and Mallory, Toby and Andy, Charlie, Margaret, Ginger and millions of Americans watched too:

“I know what I ask of you is hard.  
But be certain in hope.  
Have hope in the knowledge that though we are apart we are not alone.  
Have hope because each time our nation faces a foe and we rise to the challenge united, we come back stronger.

It is easy to have hope in the Spring.  
It is American heroes that have hope in the Winter.  
We can’t see the thaw or the blossom yet.  
But what makes it sure and certain that it will come, is your sacrifice, your faith, your endeavour, your hope.

May God bless you and may God bless the United State of America. Thank you.”


End file.
